Mapping: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 09:27, 5 April 2026

Empires Mapping Documentation

Overview

From a technical standpoint, mapping for Empires is very similar to mapping for any other Source game or mod, with the addition of several required entities. The mapping section of the Empires Wiki explains how to configure the Source SDK for Empires and provides additional resources to help you get started.

From a gameplay perspective, however, mapping for Empires is quite different. Empires maps are generally much larger than those in other Source games or mods, often pushing the limits of what the Source engine can handle. As a result, optimization requirements are stricter, both in terms of mapper constraints and overall map performance.

There are two primary types of maps in Empires: Classic and Conquest, each offering a distinct style of gameplay.

Classic Maps

Classic maps are the flagship experience of Empires, showcasing its core gameplay mechanics. Each team has a commander and a starting base (such as a barracks or designated spawn point).

Teams must expand outward, capturing territory to gain resources and strategic advantages. The commander oversees the battlefield from an overhead view, directing the team toward completing objectives.

Some classic maps also include capture points (typically flags), creating a hybrid gameplay style. In these maps, building refineries is combined with capturing objectives that provide resources or strategic benefits, such as spawn points, ammo/health crates, or even map-altering events.

Conquest Maps

Conquest maps modify the standard Empires gameplay by removing command vehicles entirely. Without commanders, teams must rely on direct coordination to push forward, capture objectives, and control territory.

These maps can feature infantry-only combat or a mix of infantry and vehicles, depending on the design.

Editing Entities Without Recompiling the Whole Map

In some cases, you may want to adjust entity properties (such as vehicle IDs or loadouts) without recompiling the entire map. This can be done using external tools or methods, as demonstrated here:

https://imgur.com/a/RJcHCma

Other Resources

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{MappingDocumentation}}
 __NOTOC__
-==Overview==
-From a technical standpoint, mapping for Empires is very much the same as mapping for any other Source game or mod, but with a collection of additional, necessary entities. The mapping section of the Empires Wiki will explain how to configure the Source SDK for Empires, and offer additional learning resources with which to get started.
-From a gameplay standpoint, mapping for Empires is very different from mapping for other Source games or mods. Empires maps are predominantly larger than those of other games and mods. Most often, Empires maps are nearly as large as the Source engine will allow. Optimization is more stringent in both limitations on mappers and requirements of maps.
+== Overview ==
+From a technical standpoint, mapping for Empires is very similar to mapping for any other Source game or mod, with the addition of several required entities. The mapping section of the Empires Wiki explains how to configure the Source SDK for Empires and provides additional resources to help you get started.
-There are two types of maps common to Empires: ''classic maps'' and ''conquest maps'', each entailing a unique style of gameplay.
+From a gameplay perspective, however, mapping for Empires is quite different. Empires maps are generally much larger than those in other Source games or mods, often pushing the limits of what the Source engine can handle. As a result, optimization requirements are stricter, both in terms of mapper constraints and overall map performance.
-===Classic Maps===
+There are two primary types of maps in Empires: '''Classic''' and '''Conquest''', each offering a distinct style of gameplay.
-Classic maps are the flagship maps which champion the core gameplay that Empires was built to provide. Each team has a commander, and some sort of starting base (be it a barracks or an arbitrary spawn point). The teams must venture out, take control of territories for resources or strategic vantage. A commander views the battlefield from above and leads the team in the completion of its objectives. Some classic maps include capture point objectives (flags, most often) to create a hybrid style of play, where building refineries is mixed with capturing points that offer resources or some other territorial benefit, such as a spawnpoint, ammo/health crate, or layout-changing event.
+----
-===Conquest Maps===
+== Classic Maps ==
-Conquest maps segment Empires gameplay by removing the command vehicles from each team. Each team must venture forward to capture objectives and control territories. Conquest maps can involve standalone infantry or a combination of infantry and vehicles.
+Classic maps are the flagship experience of Empires, showcasing its core gameplay mechanics. Each team has a commander and a starting base (such as a barracks or designated spawn point).
-==Other Resources==
+Teams must expand outward, capturing territory to gain resources and strategic advantages. The commander oversees the battlefield from an overhead view, directing the team toward completing objectives.
-*[http://developer.valvesoftware.com/ Valve Developer Wiki & Mapping Documentation]
-*[http://interlopers.net/index.php?page=tutorials Interlopers Tutorials]
+Some classic maps also include capture points (typically flags), creating a hybrid gameplay style. In these maps, building refineries is combined with capturing objectives that provide resources or strategic benefits, such as spawn points, ammo/health crates, or even map-altering events.
-*[http://halfwit-2.com/?page=tutorials Halfwit-2 Tutorials]
+----
-*[http://www.hl2world.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Entities Base HL2 Entity Index]
+== Conquest Maps ==
+Conquest maps modify the standard Empires gameplay by removing command vehicles entirely. Without commanders, teams must rely on direct coordination to push forward, capture objectives, and control territory.
+These maps can feature infantry-only combat or a mix of infantry and vehicles, depending on the design.
+----
+== Editing Entities Without Recompiling the Whole Map ==
+In some cases, you may want to adjust entity properties (such as vehicle IDs or loadouts) without recompiling the entire map. This can be done using external tools or methods, as demonstrated here:
+https://imgur.com/a/RJcHCma
+----
+== Other Resources ==
+* [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Main_Page Valve Developer Wiki]
+* [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Category:Level_Design Level Design]
+* [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Category:Entities Entities]
+* [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Category:Hammer Hammer Editor Documentation]
+* [https://www.interlopers.net/index.php/tutorials Interlopers Tutorials]
+* [https://halfwit-2.com/?page=tutorials Halfwit-2 Tutorials]
 [[Category: Mapping]]